how to set color profile for correct Mac OS Preview printout?

[kikiamoss]

Hi there

i have been struggling for days now, trying to discover how to fix this issue:

when i print out files i created in PS CC14, using Preview application (which is innate on macs), the colors turn out way too dark.

They are somehow getting saturated in cyan all across the spectrum. When i print out the same files from PS, they turn out perfect!

But i want to print from Preview, so i can choose the borderless printing.

So my guess is that the color profile is probably different in PS default than it is in mac OS...

But what should i set the PS default color profile to be so it matches?

Any other Mac user who knows this, please help--

extremely appreciated!!!

[gener7]

Color Management relies on the files own tag. If for example your color settings use ProPhoto RGB, but the Color Profile tag is removed when you save, then the image will appear darker. The Color Profile tag tells programs outside of Photoshop how to render the proper colors to the Monitor.

When you save a file, make sure Embed Color Profile is checked or convert (not Assign) a copy of your file to sRGB from the Edit menu.

[Test Screen Name]

Have you tried hard to get borderless printing working with Photoshop?

[D Fosse]

It looks like the OP hasn't touched any settings anywhere, not in the Photoshop print dialog, and not in the printer driver.

Borderless printing works just as well when printing from Photoshop. It is still controlled by the printer driver, and set there.

And there is no such thing as a "default" profile for printing! You must use the profile that corresponds to the actual printer/paper/ink you're using. It will be called something like "<printer model> Premium Glossy" and so on.

1. In the Photoshop Print dialog, set "Photoshop manages color". Then pick the correct profile for the paper you're using.

2. Then click "Print Settings" to open the printer driver. Turn off color management here! You don't want double profiling.

3. Set the correct paper type here as well. This controls total amount of ink.

4. Set "borderless" here if that's what you want.

[NB, colourmanagement net · Accepted solution]

Hi

You’ve received some good tips here but maybe a bit more explanation will help. I can see that what you want is to print accurately from Preview. That can take some doing. As you are seeing inaccurate results from Preview I would suggest not to consider adapting Photoshop to match that poor result which seems to be what you had in mind?

“They are somehow getting saturated in cyan all across the spectrum. When i print out the same files from PS, they turn out perfect!

But i want to print from Preview, so i can choose the borderless printing.

“
You'll have no problem printing from Photoshop is you follow the instructions you’ve received here.

To print Photoshop files accurately, the easiest way is to print FROM within Photoshop [and select “borderless” there too] , using “Photoshop manages Colours”, its harder to print accurately using Preview.

Even if you still wish to print from preview, I would start out printing FROM within Photoshop then, once you get good result, note how you did that (i.e. what ICC profile did you select [under “printer profile”] and what media did you select in the subsequent windows)  -  (see DFosse’s instructions here).

Only then perhaps move onto trying to achieve the same appearance when printing from Preview.

You MAY find that with some experimentation, printing acceptably from Preview is possible. but why would you when you have Photoshop?

Photoshop gives print menu options for managing colour that Preview does not.

It’s generally recommended to set “Photoshop manages colours” and to select the printer profile there. When we do that the printer driver software just passes the file through. (No colour management is needed within the printer’s driver.)

In contrast, when you print from Apple’s Preview application, only the printer driver is available to deal with colour.

So now IT has to manage the colour.

That’s only going to work well with the printer manufacturers paper and ink (generally). The ICC profile (which is vital to accurate printing) is auto selected within the printer driver software when we select “media type”.

The best way to control colour is to take control, - Photoshop is the application that allows full control. Please start there.

I hope this helps

if so, please do mark my reply as "helpful" and if you're OK now, please mark it as "correct" below, so others who have similar issues can see the solution

thanks

neil barstow, colourmanagement

[kikiamoss]

Thanks so much, NB!

your explanation was super helpful!

everyone else thanks too!--

it was a bit extra challenging because my printer settings' windows were way different than you all described, with many of those options unavailable-- i guess it depends on what kind of printer everyone has and all that...

wishing you all happy holidays!

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Hi Kikiamoss

thanks

its good to have your feedback

have a good week

neil barstow, colourmanagement